Voters more mature now, political sentiments no longer the choice — Analyst

SHAH ALAM: The result of the Kuala Kubu Baharu by-election indicates that Malaysians are becoming more mature in political decisions and are no longer interested in the game of sentiments and perceptions, according to an expert.

Political analyst from Universiti Malaya (UM) Dr Mohammad Tawfik Yaakub said that this political maturity was evident when voters made their choices based on the achievements of initiatives by the Unity Government at both the federal and state levels, effectively countering provocative sentiments attempted during the campaign period.

He said among the factors that boosted trust and confidence in the Unity Government were its efforts to attract investment and the harmonious relationship between the federal and state governments.

“In my opinion, this was key to Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) victory in KKB, even though the issues mentioned are at the national level which also involves other states, but voters today are smarter in evaluating compared to being influenced by unfavorable sentiments,” he said when contacted by Bernama.

He said that PH’s campaign during the by-election, which focused more on offering development ideas and policy improvements, also gave the PKR-DAP-Amanah coalition an advantage in winning over voters’ hearts compared to using issues to evoke emotions that could have negative long-term implications.

“I was also surprised by PH’s different approach in their political practice before and after forming the federal government.

“PH understands the need to adapt political practices to current times when the people require a responsive government that meets the needs of the people, as opposed to constant politicking by certain quarters,” said Mohammad Tawfik.

Similarly, political analyst Mujibu Abd Muis observed that the increased acceptance of the Unity Government could be gauged through early and postal voting, both won by PH candidate Pang Sock Tao. This, he noted, was contrary to previous general and state elections where these votes favored the National Alliance (PN).

“This may be because they have assessed that the current government is capable of restoring stability and advancing development, in addition to the leadership and demeanor of Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim, who resonates positively with civil servants,” he opined.

Mujibu further highlighted that racial sentiments no longer held sway over public opinion and were even met with disdain, as voters were more interested in practical matters that promised long-term benefits.

Meanwhile, political analyst Dr G Manimaran said he believed that the victory was also contributed by the high level of understanding among the parties that made up the Unity Government, especially Barisan Nasional (BN).

He said that UMNO had played a significant role behind MCA’s stance not to campaign by successfully pulling in the Malay votes for PH in order to defend the seat on behalf of the Unity Government. “The victory in KKB reflects the cooperative spirit among the component political parties of the Unity Government. It also bodes well for the upcoming Sabah State Election and the 16th General Election,” he asserted.

In the by-election, Pang, 31, representing the Unity Government, secured a majority of 3,869 votes, defeating Khairul Azhari Saut of PN, Nyau Ke Xin (Independent), and Hafizah Zainuddin (Parti Rakyat Malaysia).

The by-election was held following the death of the state assembly seat’s incumbent, Lee Kee Hiong, 58, due to cancer on March 21.